Havdalah
Havdalah is recited Saturday night, usually about an hour after sunset, measured as the time when three stars appear in the sky, at which time Shabbat is over.
Havdalah is a ceremony consisting of four blessings.
First, since havdalah is recited over a cup of wine, the blessing on wine is said:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן.
Transliteration:
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, Melekh ha'olam, bo're p'ri hagefen.
Translation:
"Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine."
Then, spices are smelled, preceded by the blessing on smelling spices:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים.
- Transliteration:
- Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, bo're minei b'samim.
- Translation:
- "Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Who creates varieties of spices."
The spices are then passed around and smelled by those present.
Next, a multi‑wicked candle, which has already been lit, is viewed, preceded by the blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם. בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ
- Transliteration:
- Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, bo're m'orei ha'esh.
- Translation:
- "Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Who creates the lights of the fire."
The candle is held up in the air and those present look at the reflection of the light on their fingernails.
Last is a blessing of praise for God's separating the holy from the every‑day:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם.
הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל.
בֵּין אוֹר לְחשֶׁךְ. בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים.
בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', הַמַבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל:
- Transliteration:
- Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'hol, bein or l'hoshekh, bein yisra'el la'amim, bein yom ha'sh'vi'i l'sheshet y'mei ha'ma'a'se. Barukh ata Adonai, ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'hol.
- Translation:
- "Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular, between light and dark, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of labor. Blessed are You, LORD, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular."
